From the archive: Airey Neave assassinated

Irish terrorists opened their own predicted and devastatingly savage election campaign yesterday afternoon with the murder of the Tory spokesman for Northern Ireland, Mr Airey Neave, who was the victim of a car bomb as he drove out of the Commons underground car park.

Mr Neave, aged 63, one of Mrs Thatcher's closest advisers, died in Westminster Hospital less than half an hour after the 3pm explosion.

Responsibility for the assassination was claimed last night by both the Provisional IRA and the Irish National Liberation Army, the armed wing of the small Marxist group the Irish Republican Socialist Party. This was a splinter group from the Officials.

In a statement made to a Dublin newspaper, the Provisionals said: "We have this message for the British Government. Before you decide to have a general election you'd better state that you have decided not to stay on in Ireland." The INLA laid their claim by telling two Dublin newspapers that forensic evidence would show that the bomb was mercury-detonated, similar to a device used in Northern Ireland. The group then made a second statement because they said their earlier one had not been taken seriously.

The explosion happened as Mr Neave's blue Vauxhall Cavalier was halfway up the exit ramp from the five-storey car park in Old Palace Yard. Police said the half-pound bomb had been placed in the front part of the car. The force of the blast buckled both the bonnet and the roof.

As police, personally led by Sir David McNee, the Metropolitan Commissioner, sealed off the Palace of Westminster and the surrounding streets, a stunned House suspended its sitting for 15 minutes. Mr Kelland said Mr Neave's body was so badly damaged that identification had to be made initially from documents found on him. The reaction from friends and political opponents alike was one of deep shock. Mrs Thatcher said: "The assassination of Airey Neave has left his friends and colleagues as stunned and grief-stricken as his family. He was one of freedom's warriors."

As MPs, journalists and staff rushed to the windows and down into the courtyard, smoke was pouring from the car. As it cleared, the twisted misshapen form of the metallic blue Vauxhall could be made out. People who were close to the scene before police dispersed onlookers saw a man, still apparently breathing, with his face burned beyond recognition. Within moments, ambulances, fire engines and police cars had streamed into New Palace Yard and the black railings were lined with spectators.

About this article

From the archive: Airey Neave assassinated

This article appeared on p34 of the Main section section of the Guardian
on Friday 30 March 1979.
It was published on
the Guardian website
at 19.01 EDT on Monday 30 March 2009.
It was last modified at 04.11 EDT on Tuesday 31 March 2009.
It was first published at 04.11 EDT on Tuesday 31 March 2009.

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